Building deal part of larger Pump House District development effort in Ashland
ASHLAND − Another step was taken this week toward enhancing downtown Ashland and keeping it bustling with more residents than ever.
Council members voted to facilitate the transfer of the city's iconic Pump House building at 400 Orange Road from the county commissioners to Vision Development.
The plan is for the developer to tear down the building and construct at least 50 and as many as 200 new apartments, Mayor Matt Miller explained to city council on Tuesday.
"There could possibly be some retail space, maybe a restaurant, coffee shop, that type of thing," Miller said. "Those decisions haven't been finalized."
Building has cost taxpayers about $295,000
The future of the Pump House building has been in limbo for a number of years, the mayor explained.
Commissioners agreed to purchase the location in 2020 during a contentious meeting in which the county auditor and prosecutor advised against the purchase, according to a Times-Gazette report of that meeting. The board voted 2-1 to buy the building for $146,000 from the Ashland County land bank.
County officials in the time since had considered using the space as a new home for some county offices, such as the health department.
"Or, if not that, at least someone would have it and maintain it until we figured out what the best use of that building was," Miller said.
To date, the county has about $295,000 invested in the building, the mayor said, which includes its purchase price as well as the cost of upkeeping it since.
Developer will own most of Pump House district
The mayor said he has given tours of the building to several developers, including Brent Wrightsel, founder and president of Vision Development.
That company has recently completed housing units on George Road in Ashland at a cost of over $44 million.
Those who toured the Pump House told the mayor it would not be financially feasible to remodel the existing building.
Wrightsel's company has already agreed to purchase more than five acres of downtown property in what Miller is now calling the Pump House District, which is the area along East 4th Street between Union Street and Orange Road.
"They want this additional property that includes the Pump House building so that they can build an additional three-story apartment complex and have more flexibility when it comes to parking," Miller said.
Vision representatives have agreed to pay $300,000 for the adjoining property, allowing the county commissioners to make a small profit on the investment.
By transferring the land from the county to the city before accepting ownership, Vision can pay to have all the parcel resurveyed into one plat before purchase.
The mayor said the company plans to begin construction on the new project later this autumn.
"This project has the potential to totally transform our city," Miller said. "Now you could have upward of 1,000 people living within walking distance of our downtown."
Concerns with outside housing investors discussed
Not everyone at Tuesday's council meeting is excited about the deal.
Nancy Wasen told council members that she has lived in the city's Ward Four for 50 years, and has owned her home on Vine Street since 1978.
She said she has looked up some of the rent prices that Vision Development is charging for the new development on George Road, and was concerned with what she discovered.
"Nobody in my ward can afford $775 for just a studio apartment," Wasen said. "Up to $1,995."
After speaking with landlords and tenants near her home, she deduced that people are paying about $400 on average right now.
"So my question to you is, what are these apartments going to run?" Wasen asked.
The mayor answered they are "market-rate apartments," so he assumes their monthly fee would be similar to those on George Road.
He added that Vision has told him that all of the units for the George Road project were spoken for before the project was even finished, which sparked their interest in the downtown project.
"I have a feeling these will be quite a hit," Miller said.
The building's upkeep for tenants is on Wasen's mind. She told the mayor that 50 years ago, all of her neighbors owned their own houses.
"Now a lot of them have become slumlord-owned," Wasen said. "Now they're in bad shape."
She wants to make sure the well-being of residents is being considered.
"If I didn't own my home, I wouldn't be able to rent in Ashland," Wasen said.
The mayor admitted that the issue of housing "is a concern." He said companies from out of state and even out of country are buying homes in Ohio to rent out.
"That's becoming a real issue in some communities," Miller said. "Fortunately we haven't seen it to the extent that others have, but it is going to be a challenge. There's no question."
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This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland council agrees to help Pump House development deal move ahead
